Carlos Beltrán's wife intently followed Hall of Fame vote-tracker

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. (AP) — Carlos Beltrán's wife followed Ryan Thibodaux's Hall of Fame vote-tracker with the intensity of an investor tracking the markets.

“My wife would wake up every morning and she was like, ‘Yes,’ and I was like, ‘What happened?’” he said Thursday during his first visit to the Hall of Fame since his election. “She was like, `We got five votes,’ and then she was like, ‘Oh my God, what’s going on? We lost five points.”

Making his fourth appearance of the ballot, Beltrán received 358 of 425 votes for 84.2% from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America in voting announced Tuesday. That was 39 above the 319 needed for the 75% threshold.

Andruw Jones, in the ninth of 10 possible appearances, was picked on 333 ballots for 78.4%.

Beltrán fell 19 votes short last year. Jessica kept him informed of this year's projection.

“She made me aware every single morning where I was, and if it was going to be a good day or a bad day," he said.

Just two center fielders had been elected by the BBWAA in the previous 45 years, Ken Griffey Jr. and Kirby Puckett.

“I never dreamed about being a Hall of Famer,” Jones said. “It’s kind of a weight off of my shoulders. All of my family was telling me about it. All of my fans, all of my friends, they were like ‘oh when are you going to get that call’, and I just said ‘I’m just living like it’s probably never going to happen.’”

Beltrán was the only Houston Astros player mentioned by name in a report by Major League Baseball regarding the team’s illicit use of electronics to steal signs during the teams run to the 2017 World Series championship — his final season.

“Honestly, I know that’s part of my story,” Beltrán said. “There’s no doubt that as a team, we altogether put ourselves in that position. Looking back, understanding what we did and where we were and how we were able to do it as a team, there’s a lot of times you get caught up thinking on that moment, and there’s a lot of times when you think of: We did take it to a different level, meaning on finding ways to beat the opposing team."

“As a group and as an organization, we also felt being able to find a way to take advantage of the opposing team is something that every team will do whatever it takes to win in baseball,” he added. "When you hear the name Carlos Beltrán, that’s something that’s going to be attached to my name, and at the same time, that doesn’t really define the person that I am.”

Beltrán has helped grow baseball in his native Puerto Rico, where he has a school that provides developmental and educational opportunities.

“Perfection is part of no one’s life,” Beltrán said.

When Beltrán reached the major leagues with the Kansas City Royals in 1998, he was just trying to develop a consistent approach to stay at the big league level

“I was lucky to come up here with an organization like the Kansas City Royals next to George Brett, who was very passionate about sharing information, helping the younger players develop, so after that year, I put such a good year as a rookie, now I was thinking I got to repeat this again,” Beltrán said.

Jones received just 7.3% in his first ballot appearance in 2018 and didn’t get half the total until receiving 58.1% in 2023. He increased to 61.6% and 66.2%, falling 35 votes short last year.

He had an annual tradition on the day vote totals were announced, going to a sushi bar and drinking sake regardless of his total. He changed his routine in 2025.

“I stayed home and when I didn’t get the call, I was like, ‘Man, I could have been having good sake right now,’” Jones joked.

Beltrán, among only five players with at least 400 homers and 300 stolen bases, arrived at the museum’s plaque gallery 45 minutes before the news conference. He made his way around the room to take in his newest teammates, saying the experience was overwhelming. He showed his family the names who gained baseball's highest honor and their accomplishments.

“I will encourage baseball fans to come to Cooperstown and understand the story of baseball,” Beltrán said. “The story of baseball is not about one player. It’s about multiple players, different nationalities, different backgrounds, understanding where the game began and where the game is today.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb

FILE - Former Atlanta Braves player Andruw Jones walks on the field as his number is retired Sept. 9, 2023, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)

FILE - Atlanta Braves' Andruw Jones watches his home run in front of New York Yankees' catcher Jim Leyritz in the second inning of the World Series on Oct. 20, 1996, in New York. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)

FILE - New York Mets' Carlos Beltran smiles during an introductory baseball news conference in New York, Nov. 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

FILE - Texas Rangers' Carlos Beltran follows through on a two-run home run swing as Los Angeles Angels catcher Carlos Perez watches in the fifth inning of a baseball game, Sept. 21, 2016, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Four-time IndyCar champion Alex Palou on Friday was ordered to pay McLaren Racing more than $12 million in the breach of contract suit the team filed when the Spaniard backed out of two different deals with the racing team.

The Friday ruling from London's High Court came after a five-week trial last year. McLaren initially sought almost $30 million in damages, but that number was reduced to $20.7 million as the racing juggernaut sought to reclaim money allegedly lost in sponsorship, driver salaries and performance earnings.

Palou was not ordered to pay anything related to Formula 1 losses McLaren said it suffered when Palou decided to remain with Chip Ganassi Racing rather than move to McLaren's IndyCar team in 2024. All the damages awarded to McLaren were tied to losses the IndyCar team suffered by Palou's change of mind.

“The court has dismissed in their entirety McLaren’s Formula 1 claims against me which once stood at almost $15 million," Palou said in a statement. "The court’s decision shows the claims against me were completely overblown. It’s disappointing that so much time and cost was spent fighting these claims, some of which the Court found had no value, simply because I chose not to drive for McLaren after I learned they wouldn’t be able to give me an F1 drive.

“I’m disappointed that any damages have been awarded to McLaren. They have not suffered any loss because of what they have gained from the driver who replaced me. I am considering my options with my advisors and have no further comments to make at this stage.”

Palou has won three consecutive IndyCar titles and the Indianapolis 500 since this saga began midway through the 2022 season. He has four IndyCar titles in the last five seasons.

The bulk of the damages awarded to McLaren were tied to loss of sponsorship. Palou was ordered to pay $5.3 million to cover the losses in the team's agreement with NTT Data, $2.5 million in “other IndyCar sponsorship revenue” and $2 million in performance-based revenue.

IndyCar team owner Chip Ganassi said Palou has his backing.

“Alex has our full support, now and always. We know the character of our driver and the strength of our team, and nothing changes that," Ganassi said. "While we respect the legal process, our focus is exactly where it should be: on racing, on winning, and on doing what this organization has always done best, competing at the highest level.

"We’re locked in on chasing another championship and defending our 2025 Indianapolis 500 victory. That’s where our energy is, and that’s where Alex’s focus is, on the track, doing what he does best: winning.”

McLaren has won the last two constructor championships in F1 and Lando Norris last season won the driver championship.

Palou first signed with McLaren in 2022 to drive for its IndyCar team in 2023, but Ganassi pushed back and exercised an option on Palou for the 2023 season. The matter was decided through mediation, with McLaren covering Palou’s legal costs. Palou could not join McLaren until 2024 but was permitted to be the reserve and test driver for the F1 team in 2023.

When McLaren signed Oscar Piastri for its F1 team, and Palou’s performance with Ganassi in IndyCar was so dominant, the driver decided he did not want to move to McLaren’s IndyCar team and reneged on his contract.

Palou argued his contracts with McLaren were “based on lies,” and he’d never have a chance to race in F1. His counsel also accused McLaren Racing chief executive Zak Brown of destroying evidence by deleting WhatsApp messages related to the case.

McLaren contended it lost revenue when Palou backed out ahead of the 2024 season and the team had to scramble to find another driver. McLaren wanted Indianapolis 500 winner Marcus Ericsson, who had already committed to Andretti Global, so it instead used four different drivers that season.

Because none were as accomplished as Palou, McLaren argued both NTT Data and General Motors reduced their payouts to the team because McLaren did not field a driver of the caliber it had promised.

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

FILE - McLaren chief Zak Brown listens to radio during a first practice for the he Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic, file)

FILE - Alex Palou celebrates after winning the IndyCar championship Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025, at Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, file)